JPH03110680A - Electronic image filing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform retrieval, editing, etc., by easy operation in a short time by reading a printed mark together with a symbol indicating specific information to which a reproduced image from an image reproducing means is added and sending the read symbols to the image reproducing means. CONSTITUTION:An image printing means 3 print a hard copy 11 of a reproduced image with the output of the image reproducing means 1 which reproduces the electronic image stored on an optical disk. When the hard copy is printed, the mark indicating the information on the image which is stored additionally to the image is printed together. Then an information reading means 4 reads the mark of the image information printed in the hard copy and sends the read information to the image reproducing means 1. Then a desired image can be specified immediately among a large number of electronic images stored on the optical disk and the electronic image can be retrieved, edited, and matched in a short time.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to an electronic image filing device for managing electronic images taken with a still video camera or the like.

<Conventional technology> In recent years, in place of conventional film cameras, optical image signals from a subject are converted into electrical image signals using an image sensor.
A still video camera has been developed that stores the electrical image signal in an external memory equivalent to film (for example, see Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 183582/1982), and the electronic image stored in the external memory is played back on a monitor. It is now possible to look at it or print it out as a hard copy.

By the way, when managing electronic images taken with such a still video camera, an electronic image filing device (electronic album) using a storage medium with a large storage capacity such as an optical disk, magneto-optical disk, or DAT can be considered.

<Problems to be Solved by the Invention> However, although a storage medium with a large storage capacity as described above can store a large amount of electronic images, it is difficult to quickly search for a desired image among them.

For example, even if a title is given to each screen, it is difficult to find a desired screen from a list of titles. In particular, it is very convenient to select one image from images with similar patterns after continuous shooting.

For this reason, it is possible to divide the display screen and display many images at once, but each image may become grainy and difficult to see, and if too many images are displayed, a single image may become small. There are some drawbacks, such as the fact that the screen is too close to the display and cannot be seen unless you look closely at it.

It is also conceivable to perform a search similar to search playback on a videotape, but in this case, there is a risk of oversight and there are problems such as the inability to compare multiple images.

However, if all images are saved as hard copies one by one, it would be meaningless as an electronic image file.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image filing device that allows not only image searching but also editing, inquiry, etc. to be performed in a short time with simple operations.

<Means for Solving the Problems> Therefore, the present invention provides an image reproducing means for reproducing an image stored in a storage means having a large storage capacity with predetermined information added thereto, and a reproduction image of the image reproducing means. an image display means for displaying the reproduced image on a screen, an image printing means for printing the reproduced image from the image reproduction means together with a symbol representing the added predetermined information, and the symbol printed together with the reproduced image by the image printing means. and information reading means for reading and transmitting the information to the image reproduction means.

(Function) In this configuration, a hard copy of the reproduced image is obtained by the image printing means by the output from the image reproduction means that reproduces the electronic image stored in the storage means. Symbols representing information about the image stored in the image are also printed.
The information reading means reads the image information symbols printed on the hard copy, and the read information is sent to the image reproduction means, thereby selecting a desired image from among the large amount of electronic images stored in the storage means. Images can be specified instantly. Therefore, it is possible to perform searches, edits, inquiries, etc. of electronic images in a short time.

<Example> Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of an electronic image filing device according to this embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the electronic image filing device of this embodiment has an insertion slot IA for loading an optical disc capable of storing, for example, an electronic image as a storage means with a large storage capacity, and an optical disc inserted from the slot IA is inserted into the slot IA. An optical disk recording and reproducing device 1 as an image reproducing means for storing electronic images and reproducing stored electronic images, and the optical disk recording and reproducing device i! a display device 2 as an image display means for displaying an image based on the output from 1;
Similarly, as shown in FIG. 3 based on the output from the optical disk recording/playback device 1, it represents an electronic image 11a stored in the optical disk and information added to and stored together with the image 11a. From the printer 3 as an image printing means that simultaneously prints a symbol, for example, a barcode 11b to create a hard copy 11, and the barcode llb printed for each image 11a on the hard copy 11 of the image printed by the printer 3. It is comprised of a barcode reading device 4 as an information reading means for reading information and transmitting it to the reception window IB of the optical disc recording/playback device 1 along with a remote control (hereinafter referred to as remote control) signal. In addition, if we consider the aesthetic appearance when barcode llb is printed together with image 11a, it is important to print barcode llb using ink that reflects infrared rays but is transparent to visible light.
It is preferable to adopt a method of reading b based on infrared reflectance.

The configuration of the barcode reading device 4 is shown in FIG.

As shown in the figure, the barcode reading device 4 of this embodiment includes a barcode reading section 5 provided at the tip, a display window 6 provided in the body for displaying the read code, and the display window 6. An operating section 7, which is provided on the same body and includes various operation buttons for operating the optical disk recording/playing device 1, a power switch 8, a transmission command button 9, and a receiving window IB of the optical disk recording/playing device 1. Transmission window 1 that generates a transmission signal
0. The barcode reading device 4 may be powered by a built-in battery or may be equipped with a solar battery.

Here, the content of the information represented by the barcode flb is preferably as illustrated in FIG. 4, for example, from the viewpoint of ease of searching for images on the disc and the need to specify one image. For example, the information content pointing to a certain image is expressed as "Travel-Nara-00237". Adding other information such as the date of shooting is useful for later editing. Note that the symbol representing information is not limited to a bar code, but may also be an Arabic numeral or the like.

Next, the image management operation by the apparatus of this embodiment will be explained.

When searching for an image that is the same as an image that has already been hard-copied, for example, as shown in FIG. The barcode reading unit 5 of the device 4 traces the image 11a and reads the information on the image 11a. Then, this image information is transmitted from the barcode reading device 4 to the optical disk recording and reproducing device l by selecting a search mode using an operation button on the operation unit 7. Thereby, the optical disk recording/playback device 1 searches for an image corresponding to the received image information, outputs it to the display device 2, and reproduces and displays the image. At this time, it is also possible to make a hard copy using the printer 3. It is also possible to superimpose information content on the reproduced and displayed image, thereby making it possible to confirm whether the image has been correctly read.

It is also possible to check (inquire) whether the image displayed on the display device 2 and the image on the hard copy 11 are the same. That is, when the barcode llb of the 11 hard copies is read and sent to the recording/playback device L side, if the image being played back on the display device 2 matches the received information, it will be marked as "same", etc. By superimposing the display on the screen of display device 2, and displaying a message such as "Incorrect" if it is different,
Images can be viewed. This is a useful feature for selecting images with subtle differences.

Furthermore, you can easily edit the images you have taken.

Here, editing refers to deleting, moving, inserting, adding, etc. of images when printing a plurality of images on one hard copy.

For example, when multiple images are combined into one hard copy 11 as shown in Fig. 5(a), when you want to delete an image, insert an image, move between these images, etc., click the bar of each image. By reading the code 11 with the barcode reading device 4, selecting the editing mode with the operation panel, and transmitting it to the recording/playback device 1 side, you can move or add images as shown in Figure 5 (c). Editing work can be done easily.

In addition, by printing multiple images on a single hard copy as shown in Figure 6, it is possible to store a large number of images without the bulk of conventional albums, and the weight is also light. It becomes easier to organize.

By simply tracing and transmitting the barcode section shown in Figure 6, the image can be quickly and easily reproduced on the display device 2, making it easier to use than current OHPs and slide projectors, making it ideal for exhibitions and conference presentations. Alternatively, it is convenient because the desired image can be immediately reproduced at a discussion meeting or the like. This takes advantage of both the advantages of hard copies, which allow you to carefully compare images, and the advantages of electronic image files, which allow you to store and display large amounts of images.

Note that it is also possible to make the size of the hard copy image changeable.

Furthermore, since the optical display has a large capacity, it is possible to record not only still images but also moving images.

In this case, select some screens from a series of videos,
Make it a hard copy along with its frame number. Then, by reading and transmitting the barcoded frame number of the hard copy image with a barcode reading device, the image can be immediately reproduced. This makes it possible to easily locate the beginning of a video in an extremely short time, even though it was previously difficult to locate the beginning of the video.

<Effects of the Invention> As explained above, according to the present invention, when an electronic image is stored in a storage means with a large storage capacity, the search 2
Editing and the like can be done in a short time with simple operations, making it easier to manage electronic images.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an external view of a reading device of the above embodiment, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a hard copy of the above embodiment. FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of image information to be added to and stored in an image, FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the editing work performed by the same embodiment apparatus, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of hard copy printing. l... Optical display recording/playback device 2... Display device 3 Printer 4... Barcode reading device 11... Hard copy 11a...
・Image 11b...Barcode

Claims (1)

[Claims] an image reproducing means for reproducing an image stored in a storage means having a large storage capacity with predetermined information added; and an image display means for displaying the reproduced image of the image reproducing means on a screen;
image printing means for printing the reproduced image from the image reproduction means together with the symbol representing the added predetermined information;
An electronic image filing device comprising: information reading means for reading the symbol printed together with the reproduced image by the image printing means and transmitting it to the image reproduction means.